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United States Patent | 6,002,520 |
Hoch ,   et al. | December 14, 1999 |
An illumination system that comprises a light source, and, disposed in an optical path between the light source and the surface, converging imaging optics, and a diffractive array generator. The diffractive array generator preferably includes a two-dimensional periodic array of multi-level topological features.
Inventors: | Hoch; John S. (Santa Clara, CA); Grot; Annette C. (Cupertino, CA) |
Assignee: | Hewlett-Packard Company (Palo Alto, CA) |
Appl. No.: | 843101 |
Filed: | April 25, 1997 |
Current U.S. Class: | 359/565; 359/15; 359/20; 359/599; 359/619 |
Intern'l Class: | G02B 027/44; G02B 005/18; G02B 005/32; G02B 027/10 |
Field of Search: | 359/565,569,570,571,574,575,576,599,619,9,15,16,19,20,29 |
2275602 | Mar., 1942 | Beck et al. | 359/599. |
3547546 | Dec., 1970 | Schier | 359/565. |
4230941 | Oct., 1980 | Stauffer | 359/619. |
4918583 | Apr., 1990 | Kudo et al. | 359/619. |
5218471 | Jun., 1993 | Swanson et al. | 359/565. |
5319496 | Jun., 1994 | Jewell et al. | 359/619. |
5499138 | Mar., 1996 | Iba | 359/569. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
654924 | Mar., 1979 | SU | 359/619. |
Hoch, John S. et al., "Diffractive spot-Array Generation Using Multimode Surface-Emitting Lasers and Light-Emitting Diodes", Diffractive Optics and Micro-Optics, vol. 5 of 1996 OSA Technical Digest Series (Optical Society of American, Washington, DC, Apr. 29-May 2, 1996, pp. 71-74. |